Asian Chicken Thighs
Oven baked in a spicy-sweet sauce made with jam and rice vinegar, Asian Chicken Thighs are juicy, tender, and loaded with flavor.
If you love cooking with chicken thighs, you will have to try my one-pan Chicken Thighs and Potatoes or my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
Here’s the best Asian bone-in chicken thigh recipe that’s super easy to make, budget-friendly, and ready for dinner in less than one hour.
I’ve always thought that chicken thighs are one of the best buys in the poultry case at the grocer. They are perfect for a quick weeknight meal and also special enough to serve to guests.
Bonus: You only need two pans – one to bake the chicken in and one to make the sauce in. We also love these easy air fryer chicken thighs or air fryer drumsticks for a quick and tasty weeknight meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs: Chicken thighs are dark meat so they are extra flavorful, juicy and very economical. I like to purchase chicken thighs on sale to stock up my freezer.
- Olive oil or avocado oil: Brushing this on the chicken skin helps it turn golden brown and crispy when baked in the oven.
- Cilantro: This is optional as garnish, but it does add a nice flavor profile to the jam and makes the dish look very pretty when you’re serving it to guests.
For the Sauce
- Apricot jam: Substitute peach jam if you can’t find apricot.
- Rice vinegar: I love how mild rice vinegar is, but you could sure substitute white wine vinegar, too.
- Soy sauce
- Grated ginger root: Instead of grating ginger root by hand, I have found that keeping a tube of ginger paste in my fridge is much more handy and still very flavorful. The brand I buy is Gourmet Gardens, which is found in the produce department near the fresh herbs section.
- Minced garlic
- Red pepper flakes
Because this chicken dish is nice and saucy, I love to serve it over rice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Step 2: Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel; place them skin-side-up into a greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan.
Step 3: Brush the top of the chicken thighs with the olive oil, then season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the pan of chicken thighs, uncovered, onto the top rack of the oven; cook 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Turn on the oven broiler (500 degrees F.) and broil the chicken thighs 3-4 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown.
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Step 5: Turn off the broiler; set the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 6: Remove the pan of chicken from the oven to some hot pads on your counter.
Step 7: Fold a couple of hot pads or kitchen towels, then prop the pan up on one end so the fat in the pan can run to the opposite end. Use paper towels to sop up any accumulated fat.
Step 8: Meanwhile, warm the apricot jam in a medium mixing bowl for 20-30 seconds, or until warm.
Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger root, garlic, and red pepper flakes, whisking until the sauce is well combined.
Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken thighs in the baking pan.
Step 9: Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked throughout, 165 degrees F. at the center and deep golden brown. Serve the chicken thighs over warm rice, drizzled with pan sauce and garnished with chopped cilantro.
Asian Chicken Thigh FAQs
Do chicken thighs get more tender as you cook them?
Typically, yes. I love chicken thighs (dark meat) because even if they are overcooked, they are still juicy and tender.
Cook chicken thighs until they are fork-tender and 160-165 degrees F. internal temperature at the center.
This is unlike chicken breasts (white meat), which tend to dry out and become tasteless the longer you cook them.
When to use chicken thighs vs. chicken breasts
This will depend on the recipe you are using, of course, but in many recipes you can switch out chicken thighs for chicken breasts (and vice versa).
I find that chicken breasts and chicken thighs take about the same amount of time to cook. Even though chicken breasts are larger than thighs, the white meat cooks more quickly than the dark meat of the smaller thighs.
What to serve with Asian chicken thighs
Because this dish is very saucy, it is delicious when served over warm rice. Air fryer broccoli makes a perfect vegetable side dish for both the chicken and the rice.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
This Country Style Asian BBQ Ribs recipe will teach you to make fall-apart tender boneless ribs, right in your oven.
Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Veggies is an easy sheet pan meal that will leave any tummy full.
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Asian Chicken Thighs
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, this is typically 4-5 thighs, depending on their size
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup apricot jam or preserves may substitute low-sugar apricot jam, if desired
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar may substitute white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon grated ginger root
- 2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes depending how spicy you prefer the sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- warm cooked rice for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel; place them skin-side-up into a greased 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan.2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, this is typically 4-5 thighs, depending on their size
- Brush the top of the chicken thighs with the olive oil, then season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Place the pan of chicken thighs, uncovered, onto the top rack of the oven; cook 15-20 minutes or until the skin of the chicken is beginning to turn golden brown.
- Turn on the oven broiler (500 degrees F.) and broil the chicken thighs 3-4 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown.
- Turn off the broiler; set the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the pan of chicken from the oven to some hot pads on your counter.
- Fold a couple of hot pads or kitchen towels, propping the pan up on one end so the fats in the pan can run down to the opposite end of the pan; use paper towels to sop up all the fats that accumulate
- Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, warm the apricot jam for 20-30 seconds until warm; add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger root, garlic, and red pepper flakes, whisking until the sauce is well combined.2/3 cup apricot jam or preserves, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoon grated ginger root, 2 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic, 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken thighs in the baking pan; bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked throughout, 165 degrees F. at the center and deep golden brown.
- Serve the chicken thighs over warm rice, drizzled with pan sauce and garnished with chopped cilantro.warm cooked rice, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro